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Malignant lymphoma presenting as a cardiac tumor
A Terasawa1, S Sugihara, K Itoh
1Third Department of Internal Medicine, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan.
Japanese Heart Journal
|January 1, 1994
Insights
A rare case of malignant lymphoma presented initially as heart failure. The lymphoma was uniquely confined to the heart and a mediastinal lymph node.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Oncology
- Pathology
Background:
- Malignant lymphoma typically affects lymph nodes, but extranodal involvement can occur.
- Cardiac lymphoma is exceptionally rare, often presenting with non-specific symptoms.
Observation:
- A patient presented with symptoms mimicking heart failure.
- Echocardiography revealed a significant tumor mass within the right ventricle.
Findings:
- Autopsy confirmed the diagnosis of malignant lymphoma.
- The lymphoma was localized to the heart and a single mediastinal lymph node, with the primary tumor burden being intracardiac.
Implications:
- This case highlights the importance of considering rare cardiac tumors in the differential diagnosis of heart failure.
- Understanding extranodal lymphoma presentations is crucial for accurate and timely diagnosis.
Abstract:
We report a case of malignant lymphoma whose initial symptoms were heart failure. An echocardiogram showed a large tumor in the right ventricle, and a definitive diagnosis was obtained at autopsy. Of particular interest in our case, the lymphoma was confined to the heart and a mediastinal lymph node, with its greatest bulk being intracardiac. This case is a rare manifestation of malignant lymphoma.